Partner Swap
by HollyElise93
Summary: "Well?" "Well what, Malfoy?" "I asked you if you wanted to be my girlfriend, Granger." I said with a smirk.
1. Prologue

-Prologue-

"I can't believe that imbecile, cheating, lying, git!" Hermione shouted as threw a fit in her office. She just got there and first thing she read on top of her desk was a fresh copy of the Daily Prophet.

"I can." I said as I entered her room. I didn't even bother knocking. I shut the door behind me to do her co-workers some favor, though I'm pretty sure that they have already heard her screaming her lungs out.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here?" She stared at me in bewilderment but my presence seemed to have calmed her down or maybe it's because she wanted to be presentable. _Griffindor through and through. Always the one to act strong and proud._ She began fixing herself, straightening her blouse and skirt.

"Nothing really. Just wanted to see your reaction to the morning paper." I shrugged. You see, for the past five years we have been on civil terms. Then three years ago, she brought Teddy to St. Mungo's for a check up. Usually, Potter was the one how brought him but I still remember what she told me that day, Potter had an emergency at work and is urgently needed. Potter and I, and the Weaslette - which I guess is now a Potterette, but you know, its much easier if I stick on Weaslette - had a strange friendship, if you can call it that. They were legal guardians of Teddy and one time they had to rush him to St. Mungo's. They had no idea what to do when Teddy had the chicken pox, well Ginny was just panicing and wanted to make sure it wasn't dragon pox. From there on, they brought Teddy to me for his check ups and anytime he is sick. At first I thought it was gonna be awkward but then it got easier and Teddy's such a sweet kid. Oh, and he is my cousin so that makes it less awkward.

Anyway, as I was saying, Hermione had to bring Teddy in and we just clicked. No, not like that. We got into talking, and we agreed to be friends. We had so much in common, and I'll tell you this, if she wasn't with Weasel and I wasn't with Astoria, I would have took my chances on her.

"Are you here to make fun of me, _Malfoy_?" She spat. Yep, old habits die hard.

"What are you so angry at me for?" I asked. Listen, Granger." I started as I sat at the couch in her office. "You're not the only one affected by this. She cheated on me too, you know." I rubbed my temple.

"Then why are you so calm, Draco?" Oh how I love when she called me by my first name. _Okay, I shouldn't have even thought that._

"Because, _Hermione_, if we are both going to throw a fit then nothing will be solved." I answered. "Besides, I have already forseen this happening. It just happened sooner than I thought."

"You've forseen it?" She asked me in astonishment.

I nodded. "For months now."

"And you never told me? I thought we're friends." She said.

"We are, Hermione. That's why I am here."

"I just cant believe it." She said sitting down beside me.

"I know." I said as I put a hand at her back to comfort her. "But you should have seen the way they looked at each other at the Ministry Ball, Hermione. They can't take their eyes from each other."

"And you're okay with that?" She asked teary eyed.

"No. But Astoria and I weren't really in love. You on the other hand, is a different story. You were in love."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She asked, on the verge of crying.

"It's okay if you don't feel better right away, Hermione." I said wrapping her with my arms, engulfing her into a hug. "But for what it's worth, you deserve better. We both deserve better." I said to her as she started to cry.

The morning paper on her table laid forgotten. **A PARTNER SWAP : A Malfoy for a Weasley, A Granger for a Greengrass. **


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1-

"Hey." She called at me as I was about to walk out of her appartment. She had been crying to much that I decided that I should bring her back to her flat. She was unfit to work and being the gentleman I am, I didn't want her to go home alone. "Thank you. You know, for this." She said awkwardly. "And I'm sorry if I soaked you with all the crying." She said gesturing at my Healers' Coat.

"It's nothing. Listen, you should rest." I said softly. "You know where to find me right?" She nodded. "I'll go first then. Owl me when you need anything. I'll be here for you." I said but didn't wait for her answer. I went out of her flat and apparated to St. Mungo's.

She sat down - more like dropped herself down - at her couch. she grunts as she heard a peck on her window. It was Hedwig. She opened her window to let her in. She took the letter of Hedwig and gave her a treat.

_Hermione, _

_I just saw. How are you holding up? I'm sorry if I can't be there. I had an urgent meeting in less that five minutes. I just wanted to write to you to let you know, I'll be here for you. We'll be here for you Hermione._

_I have to go now. But I will try to stop by later at your flat._

_Harry_

She just sat back down at the couch and stared at the wall. She didn't want any pity from her friends, or for anyone for that matter. But the entire Wizarding World knows what happened. They even knew it first before her.

When I got back to St. Mungo's, I immediately went back to my office to see Blaise sitting there.

"Well?"

"Ugh." Was all I could muster as I sat on my chair and swiveled it to face the window.

"You know its bound to happen sooner or later."

"But not this soon, Blaise." I said facing him.

"I assumed that you went to see Granger." He smirked at me, though he could never pull it like I do.

"You should have seen her Blaise. She was so crushed by the whole thing."

"And how did she react when you told her that you knew all along." He asked me, amused.

"Took it pretty well, I guess. Or maybe it never really fully registered to her. All I said was I had forseen it happening."

"Listen, mate." He started as he leaned at my table as if he was foing to share a secret. "I know it's not my place to say this, but, maybe you should stay away from Granger for a while. The Media is going to hunt you two down to get a statement and if you two were caught together, people will think that what was written there was true."

"Well it is true! Astoria left me for the Weasel and Weasel left Granger for Astoria." I said slamming my hands at my table.

"And that they only did that because you two left them for each other." He said matter-of-factly.

"What?!" I was shocked. I didn't read about that part.

"Well, apparently, the media thinks that. Thus, the headline **Partner Swap**." He said air quoting the Partner Swap part. "And apparently, you didn"t even bother to read the next page!" He said throwing me a copy of the paper.

It screamed the headline, big and bold **Partner Swap : A Malfoy for a Weasley, A Granger for a Greengrass**. And then a picture of them in black and white holding hands while walking out of a restaurant. They looked happy, genuinely happy.

(Page one)

_Ms. Astoria Greengrass, the fiancé - now ex-fiancé - of Mr. Draco Malfoy , and Mr. Ronald Weasley, the Chudley Cannon's Keeper and the long-time boyfriend of Hermione Granger has been spotted together walking out of a restaurant, hand in hand._

_When asked where their partners are and why they are together they just simply told us that they hope them both happiness in the world and wished that they hoped them that to._

(Page two)

_Now the question is, are their exes together to? Thus the reason why they wish them both happiness? Is that why Ms. Greengrass and Mr. Weasley are together? Have Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger been dating without our knowledge? _

_Yours truly, Rita Skeeter._

"What the _fuck_!" The article wasn't that long but it was big fonted like it was meant to irritate us.

"So. I was right. You didn't read the whole article." Blaise smirked that made me want to slap his face to wipe that expression.

"Uhg. I hate her. I hate that Skeeter! Making me, us, look like the bad guys. She made it seem that we were the one who cheated!"

"Just hope that Granger was mad about the headline to even read the whole article."

"I hope so. But I doubt that, though. She was screaming her lungs out when I got there. Her co-workers was afraid to even go near her office." I reminisce, she looked like a wild banshee, ready to kill.

"Just-" Blaise rubbed his eye, "I'll see what I can do." See, Blaise is not just my best friend, he is actually my lawyer. And let me tell you this, he's a good one. Maybe even the best. He will find any loopholes on the other side's defence and they won't be able to find even one on his. I think that's why Pansy's madly in love with him. He's an Italian stallion and being a Slytherin did good to him. He became sly and if he wants to, he can manipulate anything.

"Thanks, mate. I'll owe you big time." I said appreciatively.

I stood up as he did, he gave a pat on my back before leaving. He turned back to say "Don't do anything stupid okay?"

I just nodded and sat back down at my chair. Not long after that, there was a knock on my door. It was my secretary, Annie.

"Healer Malfoy, you're needed in room 2331." She said and gave me the file of the patient. It was a four year old boy who is beginning to show his magic abilities. _Man, this is going to be a long day._


	3. Chapter 2

After going to Charlie, the boy at room 2331, I did my rounds and visited my other patients. I didn't even realize that it was already half past two. I've missed my lunch but still here I am hoping that Granger had come to her senses by now and ate hers.

I sat down my chair and called my secretary to ask her to get me something to eat. Something quick and easy. I wasn't really hungry, or maybe I wasn't just in the mood to eat but I had to for it was only half past two and I won't be able to get out of here until eight. I hate Wednesdays, well not really. But every Wednesday I had a twelve hour shift. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I love being able to help and heal other. But today, isn't just going that great. And nothing could have prepared me for what was about to happen next.

Astoria barged into my office without even knocking.

"Drake, I'm sorry." She started. "Please let me explain." She said as she sat down at the chair near my table.

"I'm not really in the mood to have this conversation, Astoria. And honestly, I really don't care." I said to her as Annie came back to my office holding a tray of cinnamon rolls and a cup of tea.

"Please tell me that that isn't you lunch." She said, appalled.

"Sorry, I can't. For it is." I said with a sarcastic tone.

"Drake, look. I'm sorry if you had to find out about that this way. But we weren't in love. And with Ron..." she said but I stopped her.

"Astoria, I know we weren't in love. But you could have told me first. You should have ended things with me first. And so did Ron. You can't just come out of public without even mentioning to your partners first! They even made it look like that Granger and I are dating! No, its worst than that! They made it look like we were the ones who cheated!"

"What?!" She said shocked like I was when I first heard that from Blaise.

"I'm guessing you didn't read that part too."

"Drake, I swear. We didn't say anything like that. We only told them that we both wish you happiness -individually!" She said as she stood up and began waving her hands. "I swear, I'm gonna kill that Skeeter!"

"Huh. If you get to her first." One thing about us is that we are friends. Yes, we weren't in love. We were just kids that are victims of arranged marriages. But we are friends. No matter what we do, no matter how stupid it was, we still couldn't hate each other.

"Drake, I'm really sorry. And I'll try to straighten things out." She said looking back at me. "I'll go now okay? And please, eat more than that." She said gesturing to the untouched food at my desk. She then turned to leave.

I rubbed my head and started stuffing my face with cinnamon rolls so that I could finish eating and went back on doing my rounds. Patients aren't going to heal themselves, you know.

The hours went by slowly. Some people were giving me the looks of pity, some were disgust. But at last, eight o'clock have arrived. It was time for me to go home but my gut says no. So I went to Hermione's to check on her.

I couldn't apparate straight to her flat, she had put up heavy wards, so I just had to do it the muggle way, which I don't exactly hate but I don't like it either. I went up the stairs, went to her door and knocked on it.

"Granger? It's me. I just wanted to know if you are okay." I said softly, not sure if she could hear me but I heard shuffling on the other side and the door clicked open to reveal a dishevelled Hermione with her hair disarray. What happened in there while I was gone, I don't want to know.

"I'm fine." She was not. She widens the opening of the door to let me in. I did and she closed the door back.

"Have you eaten yet?" She was about to say yes but her stomach betrayed her so she shook her head instead. I went straight to the kitchen to cook her something to eat.

"What are you doing?" She asked crossing her arms.

"I'm cooking. I thought it was obvious." I answered. "Haven't your friends come to see you?"

She said as she lead at the kitchen door frame with her arms still crossed. "Harry came."

"And?" I asked her with a furrowed brows.

"I didn't let him in."

"Why?"

"Because! I don't need someone to pity me." She said as she threw her hands in the air and sat at one of the stools in her kitchen island.

"Have you thought that he was here because he was concerned? He is your friend Hermione."

"The more reason to pity me." She said lowering her head at the counter.

"Alright, why did you let me in then? Surely he's more closer to you than I am."

"Because you understand where I'm coming from." She said as she slightly looked up.

"Look Hermione, I know you're hurt but you have to let your friends help you. They're your friends for a reason." I said as I went up near her, across the kitchen island, and touch her hand.

"Why are you so good to me, Draco?" She asked quietly and if I wasn't paying attention to her I would have missed the unshed tears.

"Because of all people, you, Hermione, deserves it." I offered her a small smile. "No." I said, shaking my head. "You deserve all the best things in life." I corrected myself.

"Then why is this happening? Why me? Why us? _Why do bad things happen to good people_?" She asked finally letting her tears flow again.

"I'm not good, Hermione. I'm not even half decent. But you..." I said as I cupped her face.

"You're a good person, Draco." She said as I wiped her tears with my thumb.

"Me? After all the things that I've done in the past? You think I'm good?" I interrupted.

"Yes, you are. You've proven that, so many times now. You've shown the world how you've changed. That's more than enough to prove you're a good man and that you have a good heart." She said with a smile as she touched my hand that was caressing her face.

I didn't know what to say to her. Here I am, in front of a beautiful woman, and I'm speechless. We just stayed there, looking at each other eyes, ingredients lain on the counter, forgotten. _I think... I think I'm falling for her._


End file.
